One Small Moment
by sensual l e t t u c e
Summary: A moment in the life of the Petrelli family, plus one not so long-lost daughter. AU Pre-series holiday season. [Merry Christmas!]


**Disclaimer:** I do not own the show Heroes, nor do I own anything remotely related to it.

An early Merry Christmas everyone! Keep those in need in your prayers. Sorry for an grammar errors: Enjoy!

* * *

Piles and piles of brightly-colored wrapping paper littered the floor of the great sitting room in the Petrelli Manor. This was an odd, out-of-place scene in the normally spotless room - bows and ribbons littering the floor.

In the center of all the haphazardly thrown paper was a small 5 year old girl, rolling around on the scraps of what had been on her Christmas presents - said presents sitting in a neat group to the side of her, reaching higher than the little blonde. She was making hissing sounds and talking gibberish, looking as if she had been possessed.

"Claire, what on earth are you doing on the floor?" The question made the little girl shoot up, wobbling slightly. "My precious granddaughter wouldn't be rolling around upon the ground, pretending to be some sort of dog and wrinkling her dress, now would she?" The older woman chided, though amusement laced her tone.

The little girl pouted. "Not a dog Gramma - I'm a Tasmanian devil!" She raced over to the woman, who's outfit had been pristinely pressed - black hair up in a smooth coiffure, and raised her hands.

Angela answered Claire's silent demand for a hug and sat down on the couch. "Now that all of the spirits have left your body, let's try to remain calm... at least until mass is over, hmm?" She remarked, picking off bits of tape from the young girl's outfit.

Claire really was an adorable child, Angela thought, smiling down at her. She was dressed in a short-sleeve, red plaid dress that went down to her knees. It also featured a black sash that tied with a black bow accent. She had white stockings and little black shoes to go along with it, and a small red plaid bow in her curly blond hair.

"M'ky." Claire agreed, standing still as her grandmother fixed the bow that had become loose. "Gramma why are you so nice ta' me?" She asked, her innocent blue eyes staring up into Angela's brown ones.

She was silent for a moment, before caressing the young girl's head. "A some time ago I almost let something happen, something very bad, to your mother..." ' and you.' She silently added. "I have dreamed so many different futures than the one we are in right now, and none of them could have ever turned out as great as this…" She trailed off, her gaze heavy, then smiled. "… and because you're just so sweet!" She brought Claire closer and kissed the squirming child's face.

Giggling, Claire pushed herself away from her grandmother. "Don't worry Gramma, mommy's fine - see!" She pointed to the entrance hall, where a man and woman – both with dark brown hair – were quietly talking.

Angela smiled again, a smile that was full of too many emotions for Claire's young mind to grasp. "Nevermind me, Claire, it's just the ramblings of an old woman."

"You're not old, you're pretty!" She argued, patting Angela's hand.

"My, you are quite the charmer." Angela said slyly.

"Mommy says I'm just like my daddy!" Claire stated proudly.

A young boy with black hair, clad in a dress-shirt and slacks entered the room holding a stuffed bear. "Claire I found Mr. Muggles! I swear with all the disappearing acts he pulls, his name should be Mr. Wizard." Peter chuckled at his joke, but trailed off when he looked up from the stuffed animal.

"I uh - geez," He slapped his forehead. "I leave you alone for five minutes…" He said, rolling his eyes and handing the little girl her toy.

"Yay, you found him!" Claire cried, hugging her uncle.

"You are such a mother hen, Peter." His mother teased.

"Ha ha." The teen mocked, kissing his mother on the cheek and brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I prefer to be known as the handsome Uncle… or dashing brother at the very least." He joked.

The couple from the other room chose that moment to come into the room, both also dressed to the 9's. "Wow Ma, I didn't know you held such a big distaste for wrapping paper." He said, gesturing to the mess in the room with a small grin.

A chuckle bubbled from Angela's chest. " You know how I get, Nathan." She stated, light-heartily.

Nathan picked up Claire, smiling. "Are you ready to go sweetheart?" He asked. She nodded vigorously. "You did a good job with Claire's outfit, Heidi, she looks like a princess." He complimented, looking to his wife of three years.

Heidi shook her head, straight chocolate locks swirling around her shoulders. "Actually, I had some last minute things to do, so I asked Peter for some help with Claire." She said, eyes flashing to her teenaged brother-in-law.

Peter couldn't keep the blush off his face as Nathan started laughing. Soon though, he dropped the glare and cracked a smile.

Angela watched her family joke together, in silent awe at how one single act could have such a great impact on the future - and her family.

_.._

_5 years ago_

_.._

_"Angela dear, who was that calling at this hour?" Arthur Petrelli inquired as he laid down in bed next to his wife, who had just clicked the phone in her hand off._

_"Meredith-" She began._

_"You mean Nathan's little act of rebellion?" He interrupted. The young woman was wild and free-spirited, not a good match for their Nathan, who would one day become a great, important man. Arthur had demanded they break it off, she was holding him back from being fully committed to the service._

_She gave a sharp nod. "She... wanted to talk to Nathan, but I informed her he wasn't here at the moment." Angela __hesitated a moment before continuing. "She wanted to tell him_ about their... his... newborn daughter." 

_Arthur was quiet a moment, before he hmm'ed. "That will have to be taken care of, wont it?"_

_With that he turned off his lamp and settled into bed._

_Angela followed suit, though the slowly forming churn of her gut made it hard to drift off to sleep. _

_Once she had entered dreamland, the walls of her dreamcape flashed to life. _

_She was standing in a dingy apartment, in what appeared to be a nursery. A cooing sound from the crib made Angela walk forward to peer down. A small baby in a pink blanket was staring up at her, blue eyes seemingly looking into her very soul. The baby reached up, and a pair of arms passed by her to gather the baby into their arms. Turning, she saw that it was her son._

_"She's so small..." Nathan observed to himself, holding the baby gently. He turned to leave the room, and Angela followed. They entered the living area, and she gasped at the scene._

_The furniture was over-turned, and Meredith was laying on the floor, blood flowing from a slash across her neck. _

_Angela quickly snapped her neck back to Nathan, but in his place was her husband, Arthur. He used the metal stick on the mantel to stoke the fire that was going, staring down at the baby._

_"I'm sorry, but the future has no room for you and Nathan to meet." He said impassively, tossing the pink bundle into the fireplace._

_"No!" Angela shouted._

_Jerking herself up, the 'no' died on her lips as she realized that it had just been a dream. Then she stared to worry, her dreams often alluded to something that was really going to happen._

_It took her only a moment to decide her path, and once so, she grabbed the phone and dialed a number._

_.._

_.._

If Angela had not decided to listen to her dream, little Claire would have been trapped and killed in a tragic apartment fire.

Watching Claire kiss her father on the cheek, causing a smile to break out on his face, Angela knew she had done the right thing.

"I didn't know the church had decided to have mass in our living room." A voice mockingly questioned, Arthur Petrelli making his way down the staircase.

"Of course not Grampa, we can't fit all the furnature from Chuch in the house!" Claire stated as if her grandfather didn't know what he was talking about.

"I don't know, I'm sure we can use your room for most of it. You don't mind, right Claire?" Arthur replied with a chuckle.

From the look on her face, it seemed that she did.

Nathan hushed her. "We were just leaving Pa. Heidi?" His wife grasped his arm and they proceeded to the awaiting car out front.

"Mom?" Peter questioned, waiting by the door with his father.

"I'm coming, hopefully we aren't late." Angela remarked, putting on her coat and grabbing onto her husbands arm.

Arthur shook his head. "The Petrelli's, late? Never - the church will wait for us to arrive before even dreaming of starting." He said with a grin.

* * *

**...the end.**


End file.
